Blade iron for a carpenter&#39;s plane



Dea I8', 1962- E. v. PAoLlcr-:LLl 3,068,921

BLADE IRON Foa A cARPENTER's PLANE Filed oct. 26, 1960 .--sin United States Patent Oiltice 3,068,92l Patented Dec. 18, 1962 `Filed Oct. 26, 1960,`Ser. No. 65,201

1 Claim. (Cl. 145-17) This invention relates to improvements in thevplane or blade iron of a carpenters weod plane, whereby the usefulness of-suchplanes is materially advanced.

Conventional wood planes have a blade iron formed with a single cutting edge. This structure has various disadvantages. Whenthis single edge :is dulled, nicked, or Worn, the usefulness of the plane ismaterially limited until the cutting edge is restored by sharpening, or until the blade iron is replaced. Often in such cases `the `plane may be discarded rather than .go yto the trouble `of repairing the blade iron.

An object of this invention is. to overcome this deficiency, and to lprovide for a Wood plane an improved blade iron construction.

In accordance with this invention this .general object is accomplished by the provision of a blade iron adapted to accommodate a detachable blade having one or vmore cutting edges.

Another object of this invention is to provide a `blade iron construction and a blade detachably mountable to the blade iron ina plurality of selectable positions whereby any selected one of a plurality of cutting edges on the blade may be utilized.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a wood plane a blade iron adapted to permit detachable mounting thereon of different types of blades, each having a different mounting structure and each having one or more cutting edges.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a blade iron upon which blades having either pin or key means maybe detachably mounted.

A feature of the invention `lies in an arrangement of holes formed in a blade iron with which a blade having from one to four cutting edges may be detachably mounted by pin means in such manner that each edge of the blade may be selectively utilized, and in such further manner that each cutting edge may be adjusted as desired lrelative to the main body of the blade iron.

A further feature of the invention lies in a keyway formed in the blade iron with which a 'blade :having one or more cutting edges may be detachably keyed.

A still further feature of the invention lies in the form of the clamp or cap -iron ofthe plane whereby it may be o utilized as a wrench in securing a nut member to hold a lade to the blade iron.

The invention further lies in the particular construction and arrangement of the component portions of the blade iron.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and vadvantages of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understoodhowever, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description, and they are not to be construed as delining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a top plan View of the blade iron to which the blade shown in FIG. 2 is detachably mounted;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the four edged blade;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a two edged blade that may be used in lieu of the four edged blade;

FIG. 5 is a top planview of a two edged blade formed with a mounting key thereon;

FIG. `6 is a longitudinal section through the blade iron 'shown in FIG. l but having the blade of FIG. 5 keyed thereon;

FIG. 7 isa view similar to that of FIG. l, but showing a Yfragmentary portion of the clamp or cap iron in place; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a conventional wood plane withparts broken away for convenience of illustration, `wherein the blade iron and blade illustrated in FIG. l Vare assembled.

For a more detailed understanding of the invention reference is now directed to the several drawings, wherein there is shown a dat surfaced plane or blade iron or plate 41. The latter is of general rectangular .configuration having a pair of parallel longitudinal edges 2, and a rounded front edge 3. The latter extends transversely of the blade iron and at right angles to the longitudinal edges 2. The blade iron is formed in its front area, as illustrated in FIGS. 1,'3., and 6, so as to permit mounting thereon cutting blades of diierent types; such as a key type blade shown in FIG. 5, or a pin type blade shown in FGS. 2 and 4.

Thekey type blade 4 is flat surfaced and of rectangular form having longitudinal edges which define a pair of parallel cutting edges 5. Centered between the edges S and extending parallel thereto is a key 6 formed integrally with the upper surface of the blade. The key 6 is here shown as being of .dovetail form, and it is adapted to be slidably entered into a complementary dovetail keyway 7 formed in the undersurface of the blade iron. This keyway is parallel to and proximate to the forward edge 3 of the blade iron. When the blade 4 is keyed to the blade iron its upper surface is held flush to the undersurface of the blade iron, as appears in FIG. 6, and the forwardly disposed edge 5 of the blade is located beyond the front edge 3 of the blade iron. The length of the blade 4 is not greater than the transverse dimension of the blade iron. It is clear that the key 6 may be selectively disposed in the keyway 7 so as to position one or the other of the cutting edges 5 of the blade forwardly of the front end of the blade iron. The front end or edge 3 of the blade iron is preferably rounded, as appears in FIG. 6. A particular advantage of the dovetail form of the key and keyway is that the blade is not only retained fast to the blade iron, but that the blade is also retained to the blade iron without side play or wobble.

The pin type blade 9 shown in FIG. 2 is detachably mountable to the blade iron 1 by pin elements adapted to be received and retained in a hole arrangement 8 formed in the blade iron 1 as in FIG. 1. The blade 9 is a flat plate of square form having a cutting edge Il lengthwise `of each side thereof. Integral with and extending vertically from the upper surface of the blade is a straight row of three pins comprising a middle pin I2 located at the center of the blade, and two outer pins 13 spaced equally from pin I2 and located on a center line of the blade, which center line is parallel to two opposite cutting edges of the blade.

The blade iron has formed therein a pattern of holes 3 adapted to receive the three pins of the blade in different positions, in each of which a different one of the cutting edges l11 is disposed forwardly in cutting position parallel to the front end 3 of the blade iron 1. The pattern of holes is also such that any selected cutting edge of the blade may be adjusted to a cutting position closer to or further away from the end 3. To this end the pattern of holes 8 comprises twelve holes arranged in three longitudinally extending parallel rows with four holes in each row, and four laterally extending rows with three holes in each row. The laterally extending rows are parallel to the end 3 of the blade iron; and the middle longitudinally extending row is disposed along the center line of the blade iron. The several holes in the pattern are spaced equally apart both in a lateral and in a longitudinal direction. The pins of the blade 9 are adapted to be registered with and received in any three succeeding holes in the pattern in either a longitudinal or in a lateral direction. By this pattern of holes, when the pins of the blade 9 are received in the holes of any of the lateral rows of holes, one or the other of the cutting edges 11a or 11b will be disposed forwardly in cutting position relative to end 3. When the pins of the blade 9 v are received in three succeeding holes in the middle longitudinal row, one or the other of the cutting edges 11C or 11d will be positioned forwardly in cutting position relative to end 3. It is clear that if the pins are associated with the holes nearest to the end 3 of the blade iron, the selected cutting edge will extend the furtherest distance from end 3, and that this distance will decrease as the holes further back on the blade iron are utilized. The pins have a slide fit in the holes of the blade iron whereby undesirable play between the blade and the blade iron is avoided; and the use of three pins centered on the blade as here prevents `Ltnequal strain upon the blade during use. It is to be noted that the outer pins 13 have a height equal to the thickness of the blade iron so as not to project through the upper face of the latter; and it is also to be noted that the middle pin 12 is longer than the others and has a threaded portion 14 adapted to project beyond the upper face of the blade iron. A nut 15 threadable upon the projecting end of the middle pin is adapted to be tightened against the face of the blade iron so as to hold the blade rigidly to the latter.

The blade 16 shown in FIG. 4 has a double cutting edge 17, and is provided with three pins 18 and 19 corresponding the pins 13 and 12 shown on the blade in FIG. 2. The blade 16 is adapted to be associated with the first lateral row of holes in the blade iron nearest to the end 3. When so associated, either of the cutting edges 17 will be disposed forwardly in cutting position parallel to the end 3.

The blade iron is adapted to be supported in conventional manner in a conventional carpenters woodworking plane, whether the blade shown in FIG. 2, 4 or 5 is associated with it.

The -blade iron 1 having the blade 9 mounted thereon, as in FIG. 1, is illustrated as a component of a conventional carpenters woodworking plane in FIG. 8. The blade iron 9 is shown as disposed in the plane in the usual inclined position wherein a cutting edge 11 of the blade extends in usual manner through the blade slot 31 formed transversely of planing surface 20 of the plane. Carriage means 21 having a carriage block 22 engaging one of a group of notches 23 in the underside of the blade iron and operable by screw means 24 is movable to carry the cutting edge of the blade into an adjusted position relative to the blade slot 31. A conventional cap or clamp iron 25 surmounted upon the blade iron serves to rigidly x the adjusted position of the latter. The usual cap screw 26 threaded in a boss formed at 32 on the oor of the frame of the plane has a head and shank extending through a slot 27 in the blade iron and extending through a keyhole slot 2S in the cap iron. The head of the screw is adapted to be tightened against the face of the cap iron, and a lever cam 29 pivoted on the cap iron between the latter and the blade iron further fixes the blade iron in the plane.

Since the nut 15 projects upwardly above the blade iron, and to avoid interference of the forward end of the cap iron with the nut, a notch 30 is formed in the cap iron to receive or to permit extension of the nut through the cap iron. This notch has a close iit to the nut, and accordingly it may be used as a wrench in tightening the nut upon its pin when the blade is assembled to the blade iron.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, however, -I do not wish to be limited to such; and it is my intent to claim all that is set forth herein as well as all modifications and forms of the invention as may be reasonably construed to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

The combination for a woodworking tool, comprising a blade iron having an elongated flat surface plate body defined by parallel longitudinal edges and a front edge at right angles to the latter, a separate flat square blade, each side of the blade being defined by a cutting edge having a length not greater than the transverse dimension of the plate, and means for detachably mounting the blade to the plate in any of four selectable positions in each of which a selected one of the cutting edges is disposed forwardly of the said front edge and parallel thereto, and wherein the edges of the blade adjacent to the selected edge do not extend beyond the longitudinal edges of the plate; wherein the means for detachably mounting the blade to the plate comprises a pattern of holes in the plate including at least three holes spaced equally apart defining a row parallel to the said front edge of the plate the middle hole of which being on the longitudinally extending center line of the plate, and at least two other holes spaced similar distances apart from the middle hole and being on the said center line and defining with the middle hole a row at right angles to the front edge of the plate, and three pins centered on the blade in a row and engageable selectively with the holes of either row in the plate; and wherein one of the pins is greater in lenth than the thickness of the plate and has a threaded end portion adapted to project beyond the opposite surface of the plate when received in one of the holes of the plate, and nut means threadable upon the projecting pin portion into abutment with the adjacent face of the plate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 202,674 Smith Apr. 23, 1878 925,259 Ziegler June 15, 1909 1,487,529 Blackmer Mar. 18, 1924 1,581,968 Llobet Apr. 20, 1926 1,669,711 Kanter May 15, 1928 1,670,646 Abrahamsen May 22, 1928 1,726,124 Rodionoff Aug. 27, 1929 2,638,947 Lausch May 19, 1953 2,969,097 Kulbersh et al I an. 24, 196] 

